Marking system

ABSTRACT

A LOCATION IS MARKED OR AN OBJECT IS MARKED AND MAINTAINED BENEATH, ON OR ABOVE THE SURFACE OF A BODY OF WATER, SUCH AS THE OCEAN, BY A SEMI-RIGID, SEMI-FLEXIBLE, SELF-SUSPENDING DEVICE WHICH INCLUDES AT LEAST ONE OR, PREFERABLY A PLURALITY OF INDIVIDUAL PRESSURE ADJUSTING SEGMENTS. THE LOWER END OF THE DEVICE IS SECURED TO THE BOTTOM AND THEREBY REMAINS IN A FIXED POSITION IN THE WATER, WHILE THE UPPER END IS UNSECURED AND EXTENDS A VISIBLE DISTANCE ABOVE THE SURFACE OF THE WATER, ESSENTIALLY IN A POSITION ABOVE THE FIXED END.

United States Patent 3,605,147 MARKING SYSTEM Vernon E. Shelton, 923 8th St., Manhattan Beach, Calif. 90266 Filed Mar. 3, 1970, Ser. No. 16,060 Int. Cl. G08b 17/00 US. C]. 9-8 23 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A location is marked or an object is marked and maintained beneath, on or above the surface of a body of water, such as the ocean, by a semirigid, semi-flexible, self-suspending device which includes at least one or, preferably a plurality of individual pressure adjusting segments. The lower end of the device is secured to the bottom and thereby remains in a fixed position in the water, while the upper end is unsecured and extends a visible distance above the surface of the water, essentially in a position above the fixed end.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an improved means for marking a location or marking and maintaining an object beneath, on or above the surface of a body of water and, more particularly, relates to an apparatus for and a method of marking a location or an object which does not require a surface floating member.

Typical systems now in use for marking a given point in a body of water generally comprise a flexible member, such as a rope, cable or chain extending from a float or buoy, which floats on the surface of the ocean because of its positive displacement, to a weight which is placed on the sea bed. In most instances, this flexible member is provided with sufiicient slack in order to compensate for various changes in the elevation of the ocean surface. Without such slack, the system would be subject to a considerable force during an increase in the elevation of the ocean surface which could either cause a break in the flexible member, movement of the weight on the ocean floor or submergence of the float. When the length of the flexible member is increased to include suflicient slack there will then be considerable horizontal excursion of the float or buoy during lower elevations of the ocean surface and the system will then only approximately mark the object or location. In addition, an increase in the length of the flexible member will normally require a larger float or buoy having greater buoyancy to support the longer and heavier flexible member. Moreover, such surface floating systems can be a hazard to navigation and, while they may be of some value in horizontally marking an object or location they do not vertically mark the object or location.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a system for marking an object or location beneath the surface of a body of water both horizontally and vertically.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, a semi-rigid, semiflexible, self-suspending marking system is provided which in its preferred form includes a plurality of hollow tubular segments connected together in an end-to-end relationship, with each segment except the upper most segment containing a fluid with a lighter specific gravity than the water to provide positive buoyancy, and further having pressure adjusting means to balance the pressure within each segment with the surrounding external pressure. The end of the lower most segment is secured to a weighted member or other means adapted to maintain the lower end of the system in a fixed position, with the upper end portion of the system adapted to extend visibly above the surface of the water and to normally remain in a position vertically above the fixed end.

Other and more detailed objects and advantages of this invention will be made readily apparent from the following detailed description and accompanying drawmgs.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the marking system illustrating its normal position in a body of water.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional side view taken on the lines 22 of FIG. 1 illustrating the pressure adjusting means of a segment.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional side view of the top segment taken on the lines 33 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the preferred form of the lower end of the bottom segment.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional side view similar to FIG. 3 illustrating an alternative means of connecting the segments.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional side-view similar to FIG. 4 illustrating an alternative form of the lower end of the bottom segment.

Referring now to the drawings, the marking system or device, generally designated 10, in its preferred form includes a plurality of sections or segments 11 which when connected together in an end-to-end relationship form an elongated tube 11a which is adapted to extend in a body of water 12 from a fixed location on the floor or bottom 13 of the body of Water 12 up beyond the surface 14 of the water. Each segment 11 includes an outer wall 15 which is formed of a semi-flexible and light-weight material such as polyvinyl chloride, and which is cylindrical in cross-section. It should be noted, however, that the cross-sectional shape of the wall can be varied. In addition, when a more rigid system 10 is required, the wall 15 of each segment 11 can be formed of another material, such as aluminum. The walls 15 are generally bonded to each other at 16 and the length of each wall 15 is about 20 feet however, this dimension may also vary.

In FIG. 2 is shown a segment 17 which is typical of all the segments 11 except the uppermost segment 18 and the bottommost segment 19. A fixed barrier member 20 having an upper cylindrical sidewall 21, a lower cylin drical sidewall 22, and a barrier wall 23 therebetween is positioned axially between each adjacent segment 17 at the joint 16, with the lower cylindrical sidewall 22 extending axially within and bonded or otherwise attached to the upper portion of a lower adjacent segment 17 and the upper cylindrical sidewall extending axially within and bonded or otherwise attached to the lower portion of an upper adjacent segment 17. The bonding between the sidewalls 21'and 22 and the interior surface of the walls 15 prevents leakage therebetween and the barrier wall 23 prevents communication of fluid between the adjacent segments 17. This type of coupling retains the smooth outer surface of the system 10. The barrier member 20 also serves as an internal reinforcement to the adjacent segments 17 at the joint 16. Although such an internal coupling system is preferred, suitable external coupling devices could instead be used to connect the segments.

Between each barrier member 20 and within each segment 17 is a cup-shaped movable seal 24 having a cylindrical sidewall 25 which slidably engages the interior surface of the wall 15. One or more O-rings 26 mounted circumferentially about the cylindrical sidewall 25 prevent leakage between the sidewall 25 and the interior surface of the wall 15.

The movable seal 24 and the barrier member 20 above it and the wall 15 define within each segment 17 a chamber 27. The chamber 27 is filled with an appropriate fluid Sept. 20, 1971 v. E. SHELTON mums "sysmu Filed men 3,1970

a M? H WA? ENTOR. V@/V0/V 5. 57/51/ 0N BY 5 Also, the system includes individually pressure balanced segmented portions which permits the system to operate in a high pressure environment. Moreover, the system not only provides an improved means for horizontally marking objects and locations, but also provides an accurate vertical marking of such objects and locations.

Having fully described my invention, it is to be understood that I am not to be limited to the details herein set forth, but that my invention is of the full scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A marking device for use in a body of water, comprising:

an elongated, semi-flexible hollow tube having an upper end portion adapted to extend above the surface of the water;

at least one chamber within a portion of said tube adapted to be submerged in the water, said chamber containing a fluid having a specific gravity less than water to provide buoyancy to said tube; and

means on the lower end of said tube for connecting said tube to a fixed location within the water.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein pressure adjusting means are provided within the portion of said tube adapted to be submerged to balance the internal pressure surrounding said tube.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the portion of said tube adapted to be submerged includes a plurality of fluid filled chambers, said tube having a plurality of segments, with each said chamber within one of said segments.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein each said segment includes pressure adjusting means to balance the internal pressure within said chamber with the external pressure surrounding said chamber.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein said tube includes a second chamber, said second chamber positioned at least in part in the portion of said tube adapted to extend above the surface and containing a material adapted to minimize the weight and increase the rigidity of the portion of said tube adapted to extend above the surface.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the outer exterior surface of said tube is smooth and uniform to permit objects to be passed along said tube.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein said means connecting the lower end of said tube includes a swivel member to permit said tube to rotate around the vertical axis of said tube.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein said tube is formed of a plastic material.

9. A self-suspending device for use in a body of water, comprising:

an elongated tube having at least one pressure adjusting segment;

said segment including a chamber;

a fixed barrier and a movable seal within said segment defining said chamber; said chamber filled with a fluid having a specific gravity less than water to provide buoyancy to said tube;

said movable seal in communication with the surrounding water whereby said seal adjusts its position within said segment to provide a pressure balance between said chamber and the surrounding water; and

means on the lower end of said tube for connecting the lower end of said tube to a fixed position on the water.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein said tube includes a plurality of said pressure adjusting segments connected together to an end-to-end relationship and an uppermost segment.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein said uppermost segment includes an uppermost chamber filled with a material to minimize the weight and add rigidity to said uppermost segment.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein said fixed barriers are positioned within said segments at the connection of said segments to provide internal reinforcement to the connection of said segments.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein adjacent segments and said fixed barrier between said adjacent segments are 'all bonded together.

14. The device of claim 12, wherein adjacent segments are connected together by a coupling means, said coupling means including a slot within said fixed barrier between said adjacent segments, a pin extending radially inward from the interior surface of one of said adjacent segments and adapted to be received by said slot, and means positioned between the ends of said adjacent segments to prevent uncoupling of said adjacent segments.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein said means pre- 'venting uncoupling is an O-ring.

16. The device of claim 10, wherein each said fixed barrier includes a removable plug to permit filling of each of said chamber with the fluid.

17. The device of claim 10, wherein all of said segments are formed of a semi-flexible, semi-rigid material.

18. The device of claim 10, wherein said material is plastic.

19. The device of claim 9; wherein said means connecting the lower end of said tube includes a swivel member to permit rotation of said tube about a vertical axis.

20. The device of claim 9, wherein the outer exterior surface of said tube is smooth to permit objects to be passed along said tube.

21. The device of claim 9, wherein trigger mechanisms are placed at spaced intervals along said tube to trigger instruments being guided along said tube.

22. A method for making an object or location in or above a body of water, the steps comprising:

filling a section of a semi-flexible tube with a fluid having a lighter specific gravity than water;

submerging a portion of said tube including the filled section while allowing another upper portion of said tube to extend up beyond the surface of the water; and

anchoring the lower submerged end of said tube in a fixed position beneath the surface of the water whereby the upper extended portion of said tube marks the position of the object or location.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein a plurality of sections in said tube are filled with the fluid having a lighter specific gravity than water.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,790,187 4/1957 Marconi 98 3,092,852 6/1963 Devereux 98 3,307,208 3/1967 Jacobson 98.3 3,464,071 9/1969 Starratt 98 LOUIS J. CAPOZI, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 116124B 

